FOCUS GROUPS & TOWN HALLS
Critical insights from customers and stakeholders

Consumer and market snapshots.
Product and service testing.
Customer experiences.
Strategy testing and formulation.
Silo busting.

Focus groups provide critical insights and perspectives. Properly conducted and analyzed, focus groups help companies match and exceed customer expectations and generate fresh ideas.

MEK professionals have designed and conducted focus groups across the United States in various markets, all providing critical market, customer, and experiential data. Past MEK focus group clients have included hospitals, healthcare organizations, technology companies, Fortune 100 manufacturing, telecommunications and insurance companies, public policy organizations, and international non-for-profit organizations.  

What is the preferred outcome of qualitative research? 

With good preparation and a skilled facilitator, focus groups can provide important opportunities for market research and hypothesis testing. Many times companies use focus groups to gather firsthand information about new ideas, products, or services. Often, new insight into brand values, customer experience, and satisfaction appears. Healthcare organizations and service providers can identify both potential attractive and demotivation issues. Measurement of trust often comes into focus.

MEK focus groups have provided powerful data and analysis that have sharpened client services, fashioned new market entries, and uncovered issues. Strategic focus groups break down silos and counter internet echo chambers, where perspectives can languish. 

Focus groups can either conduct a “blind” study (where participants initially don’t know who the client is) or study where participants know the company and/or issue the participants are discussing/evaluating. 

Typical focus groups range from 8-15 participants. For comparison and quality purposes, MEK recommends conducting focus groups comprised of a variety of customers.

MEK provides a variety of focus group services and support, including:

• Setting goals and objectives (e.g. market or issue snapshot, CX focus, product/service testing, employee engagement, etc.)
• Participant attributes and screeners
• High-impact facilitation
  
• Data collection and analysis
  
• Key issues and findings reports

Focus group organizational issues

• Location for in-person focus groups (one-way mirror for client viewing; video capture; interaction)
• Need to provide financial incentive ($50-$200 per person) and offer to provide light dinner/refreshments prior to commencement of focus group; free (or compensated) parking 
• Typically focus groups are conducted in early evening
• Focus group ideally limited to 15 people per session, last 60-90 minutes
• Should have comparison group to validate data (e.g. one group of satisfied re-enrolled people in addition to people who did not re-enroll)
• Bilingual issues (need for Spanish- or other speaking moderator and translation services)
• All focus groups recorded (video and audio)

Screening

• Provide screening document for recruiting – must meet certain standards
• Screening direct mail postcard and live operator outreach to recruit
• Client to provide names, contact information

Moderation 

• Preparation of moderator guide (eight-10 general questions – from general to specific) directed to achieve desired client outcome

Analysis

• Full unedited transcripts provided  video/audio files
• Analysis – distillation of key trends, keywords, rated motivations (by frequency)
• Executive summary of key findings
• Recommendations

Focus groups are often part of larger research projects (that include quantitative outreach) but can also serve as stand alone efforts that provide insightful data to inform action.

All focus groups are different. Contact the experienced professionals at MEK to discuss what works best for your company or organization.  (AMA member? Here’s a short summary)